Hello,
And welcome to this meditation.
Today we'll be expressing gratitude for the little things in life,
The day-to-day gifts that often go unnoticed.
This meditation is best listened to in your favorite indoor room.
Let's begin by calming the mind.
As you sit or lie down,
Becoming as comfortable as possible,
Allow your mind to become more comfortable too.
Close your eyes now and start to focus on your breathing.
Breathing a bit more deeply than you usually do,
And exhaling a bit more slowly.
Observing the breath is a great way to bring the mind into a state of focus.
Take your time to observe breathing.
Shift your awareness from your breath back to your body.
Now feeling the floor beneath you.
Now think about the room or the space that you are in.
How does it feel to be here?
What is this place like?
Begin to take notice of the little things around you that you might take for granted as you go about your busy days.
Think of this room as a shelter,
A haven,
Keeping you safe from the outside elements,
Keeping you well protected and comfortable.
Feel the air in your skin and notice what it feels like.
Warm or cold,
Appreciate the temperature of the air that surrounds you.
Notice the sounds in this room now.
Perhaps you hear a ticking clock,
The hum of a fan,
Or the number of voices.
You can pause this recording or lower the volume if that helps you to observe.
Rather than thinking of these sounds as noises or distractions,
Lend some appreciation to them.
Think of each sound as an opportunity,
An opportunity to explore your surroundings and become more mindful of all the moving parts that exist here.
Just listen.
Be present.
Breathe deeply now and see what you can smell.
Go deep uncovering sense that you may not realize exist here.
Inhale through the nose as you pick up on the subtle aromas.
Perhaps you smell the wood of the floor beneath you or the walls around you.
Perhaps you can smell plants or soil or you may notice other scents drifting in through the window.
Just breathe,
Explore,
And appreciate this moment of mindfulness.
Now,
Begin to extend your awareness to outside of your immediate surroundings.
Think about your entire home and everything within it.
Bring to mind the things that you use every day to help your life run more smoothly.
Alarm clocks,
Refrigerators,
Sinks,
Closets,
Clothes.
See yourself going through a normal day but moving more slowly,
Moving more mindfully.
Taking your time getting dressed,
Brushing your teeth,
Eating,
And working.
Imagine taking the time each day to express gratitude for all of these modern conveniences.
Try not to dwell on the haves and have-nots.
Simply appreciate every aspect of your daily experience.
Continue to breathe deeply,
Setting an intention to move more mindfully throughout each day starting today.
Extending your awareness even further now,
Think of the world outside.
Think of the blue sky above,
The sun,
The trees that offer you shade,
And the soil beneath your feet.
It's easy to find gratitude for everything that runs smoothly in our lives.
But how about the bumps in the road?
We can be thankful for these little life lessons too,
The spilled milk,
The flat tire,
The endless grocery line,
All of the little errands and minor annoyances that pepper out our days.
Each mishap offers us a chance to slow down,
A chance to live in the present moment and focus our attention on the matters at hand.
Imagine navigating these bumps in the road with grace and ease,
Effortlessly going with the flow and keeping a cool,
Calm head,
Adopting a come-what-may attitude.
Deep breath in now,
Pulling the air deeply into the body.
And a slow letting-go breath as you release all stress.
Another deep inhale and slow exhale,
Releasing expectation.
Once again,
Slow breaths letting go of anything that prevents you from experiencing gratitude.
Releasing all blocks,
Letting them dissolve.
Breathing in clarity,
Breathing in relaxation.
Engage with the peaceful,
Steady rhythm of your breath as you continue to invite gratitude into this experience.
Now,
Become aware of your body once again.
Feeling the floor beneath you,
The air against your skin.
Hearing the sounds around you as you slowly allow your eyes to open,
Taking everything in.
You are here.
This is your life.
As you continue your day or night,
Remember to take everything with gratitude.
